THE secrets of Avebury's stone circle will be revealed in a BBC documentary due to be screened tonight.

The Village In The Stones traces the history of the prehistoric site through the eyes of former residents and a 66-year-old cine film.

Wiltshire historian Brian Edwards discovered the film in the back of a wardrobe following a long search.

He said the black and white footage raises questions about preserving history without compromising modern interests.

He said: "The film captures village life in Avebury over a crucial period in time.

"Your readers will be intrigued."

The stone circle has given Ave-bury World Heritage Site status, but the film reveals the darker side to its unique character.

Village resident Percy Lawes started the film in 1936 when Ave-bury was surrounded by farmland and fields.

He captures family, friends and special occasions on film before a long sequence revealing how millionaire archaeologist Alexander Keiller transformed Avebury.

Keiller is shown excavating the stones and setting them in concrete in the positions he judged them to once stand.

Then he cleared trees which hid the ancient ditches before turning his attentions to the village buildings. Any which obscured the stones he bought and demolished - forcing villagers to move away.

Eventually he created the impression of a village encircled within the stones.

"Basically lots of history was pulled down to put pre-history back up because it had been judged more important," said Mr Edwards.

His search for the film came to an end in August 2000.

He said: "I displayed my collection of Avebury photos and people kept telling me about this film, but nobody knew where it was. It was like an old wive's tale."

Mr Edwards eventually traced the film to a relative of the deceased Percy Lawes.

It forms the basis of the documentary, which is interspersed with memories shared by former residents like Josey Ovens.

Josie, 84, who lives in Rod-bourne Cheney, is one of the only surviving former residents to remember Avebury before the stones.

The Village in the Stones will be shown tonight at 7.30pm on BBC2